Ingredient Spotlight - Blackfish Roasted with Olives & Sage

It all starts with one question: 

"What's good today?"

Blackfish with Sage & Olives + a Salad of Lambs Lettuce (Mache), Green Apple,
Shallot and Blue Cheese Dijon Dressing and Baked Potato by my Mom! Photo: NK

I've shared many times that I begin most of my shopping trips to the butcher, fish or farmers market with that very inquiry. The reason? It's a whole lot easier to cook great meals when you begin with excellent ingredients.  Using in season fruits, vegetables and even proteins (did you know it's Oyster season now?) can make a real difference in your food. 

Last weekend the answer was Blackfish. 

Blackfish, huh? I'd never really cooked with it and couldn't recall eating. "What's it like," I asked my fishmonger. "Well, they are firm, white fleshed fish. They like to eat crab, so they're a little sweet. Almost a slight lobster-y quality to them."

Lobstery? 

Say no more.

Baked Blackfish - this easy recipe came out perfectly! Photo: NK 

Even though I cook all the time there's always a little anxiety around trying a new ingredient. 

It's easy to revert to the familiar and foolproof, and with fish (we love cod, flounder, sole, tuna, and all the shellfish under the sun), cook times are much faster, so there's an even greater motivation to time things out just right.

All that said, there's only one way to learn - and that's practice.  Practice, and a good, simple recipe.  

With no Blackfish experience to speak of, I went to the internet and compared some simple preparations. It wasn't long before I stumbled on one from Serious Eats - one of my favorite web destinations for food news and recipes. The super short ingredient list was an instant sell. 

Roasted Blackfish With Olives & Sage 
Lightly Adapted Recipe By Melissa Clark, Cook This Now as published on Serious Eats
Serves 4-6 

Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 (1 Pound) skin-on Blackfish Fillets, patted until dry
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
10 Large Sage Leaves
1/2 Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Smoked Hot Paprika or Sweet Paprika 

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 425.

2. Drizzle about a Tablespoon of Oil on a large baking sheet. Place the fish fillets, skin side down, in the pan. Season the fillets generously with Salt and Pepper. 

3. Pile the Sage leaves on top of each other, roll them up, and slice them into thin ribbons and in half again. Sprinkle the Sage over the fish and then scatter the Olives on top and around the fish. Drizzle with the remaining Olive Oil. 

4. Place pan in the oven and roast fish until it is opaque, roughly 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle fillets with Lemon Juice and dust with Paprika. Optionally sprinkle with a bit more oil and serve right away. 

Feast of The Seven Fishes 2015 - Our Christmas Eve Tradition

As if I haven't thought about food enough this holiday season, here I am, as promised, recapping for you the results of our annual Feast Of The Seven Fishes traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal - our fifth year running. You'll recognize this menu from prior years as many of the best loved dishes on it have become regulars in the rotation (particularly the must-have Baccala Salad you'll see below).  

Thanks for letting me relive what was a really great meal. And even though food is important, good company is what really makes the holidays warm and wonderful. We are incredibly grateful that we could gather our loved ones together to share some Christmas cheer. Happy Holidays to you and yours. Next stop, New Years! 

Fifth Annual Feast of the Seven Fishes 

Smoked Salmon Canapes - Recipe HERE

Salmon Canapes, Photo: NK 

Lump Crab Cocktails - Recipe HERE

Individual Crab Cocktails (served in footed glass bowls), Photo: NK 

Baccala Salad - Recipe HERE 

Baccala Salad, Photo: NK 

Chilled Seafood Salad (Insalata Frutti di Mare) - Recipe HERE

Mixed Seafood Salad, Photo: NK 

Zuppa di Vongole (Clams in Broth) - Recipe HERE 

Zuppa di Vongole (Clams), Photo: NK

Broiled Lemon Sole - Recipe HERE

A platter of Broiled Lemon Sole, Photo: NK

Cocktail - Martinez 

Martinez Cockail, Photo: NK 

Last but not least, our signature cocktail was the classic Martinez. Never heard of it? I hadn't either up until recently, yet it turns out that it is a very vintage cocktail that predates the Gin Martini. Who knew? It consists of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur, London Dry Gin and Sweet Vermouth. 

If you're a classic cocktail lover (think Negroni, Old Fashioned or Manhattan), this drink should appeal to you. We thought it made a great festive accompaniment to dessert. 

Link to the recipe HERE. 

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year - Feast of The Seven Fishes

Images courtesy of Paperless Post 

Merry Christmas to you and yours! The holidays are in full swing and my favorite meal to cook all year is nearly upon us - the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood extravaganza known as The Feast of the Seven Fishes. Through the years I've shared our various menus with you on Neurotic Kitchen.

It's no secret that I've also spent many hours neurotically thinking through all the planning and timing so that you too can turn out a multi-course, surprisingly simple and always delicious fish feast. For a look back at all of our menus, click through the links here:

Feast of the Seven Fishes for 6 - Year 1
Feast of the Seven Fishes for 6 - Year 2 
Feast of the Seven Fishes for 6 - Year 3

You'll notice that some dishes are repeated several times because they are true favorites. Still, I like to try and add something new each year. This time, it will be this amazing yet simple Scallop Lollipop Hors D'oeuvre that I found in a recent issue of Food & Wine. 

Scallop Lollipops with Spicy Mayonnaise, recipe HERE, Photo: NK 

Though the recipe calls for Gochujang, a Korean Hot Pepper Paste, but you could sub in Sambal Oelek or even Sriracha. So good, especially thanks to tiny bits of dill pickle in the spicy mayo dipping sauce. Serving the Scallops on my favorite bamboo skewers makes them that much more festive. 

Sure, there's nothing inherently Italian about this spicy-sweet little Scallop Bite, but I like the idea of just a little something different amid our menu of tried and true favorites. As soon as it passed our test, we agreed that we'd be adding it to this year's rotation. Want to see how our meal goes? I hope you'll join us for the post Christmas Eve Round up and that you and your families enjoy a peaceful and delicious holiday season!

For the Scallop Lollipop Recipe, click HERE. 

The Ladies Who Brunch - Annual Holiday Celebration

This weekend I was lucky enough to spend time with my very best friends as we convened for a well-loved tradition that's coming up on a whole decade in existence (eek!) - our annual holiday get-together. We've had so many great times together, and as we get older, I think we relish them even more. While in past years we'd all head to the bar to exchange Secret Santa gifts while getting merry, we've more recently shifted our holiday party to take place one of our houses. I have to say, this format makes the event a bit more relaxed and very conducive to laughs and plenty of girl talk. And because all of my friends have a passion for food (would you expect anything less?) we eat really well too. 

Annual Holiday Brunch with Lox on a Bagel,
 a delicious Frittata and, of course, Tater Tots!
Photo: NK

This year's brunch menu was, as usual, memorable and delicious, and there was no shortage of cheese, (including a sinful fondue!) wine, and our favorite breakfast fare. 

Here are the highlights:


Bagels, Lox, and all the accoutrements (the best New York Brunch can get, in my opinion), plus a Berry Salad,Tater Tots, and Monkey Bread (so good!). 

One gorgeous Brunch Spread + Mimosas! Photo: NK

Add to all that that a fabulous Frittata that my friend Natalie adapted from Ina Garten. She added Leeks and Mushrooms and it was fluffy and positively delicious. 














The original Frittata recipe is HERE.












As for me, I contributed my favorite, foolproof, Dark Chocolate Brownies. For the recipe, click HERE.

Finally, I ask you, what classy get-together wouldn't be complete without JELLO SHOTS? 

Jello Shots, not just for keg parties. Photo: NK 

That's right. Jello shots get the gourmet treatment when they are made with Champagne and Peach Schnapps. A bit too delicious! Click HERE for the recipe. 

Thanks to my BFFs for yet another amazing party in the books. And this holiday as much as ever, I'm reminded how lucky I am to have you all in my life. 
XOXO,
Sam